Three Words
by ZenAngelSan
Summary: I love you. Ichigo made it a point to never say those three words and he didn't have to. AU Ichiruki


Three Words

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

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"I love you."

These were the first words that Ichigo heard when he woke up in the morning and the last words that lingered when he closed his eyes. They are the words that haunt his dreams at night with the voice that he longed to hear the most. It clawed through the darkness of his slumber and gripped unto his heart, so he woke up panting, out of breath and in tears. These were the last words that his mother spoke to him and the words that he hated the most.

He grew up in a world where these three words could mean less, where it is casually thrown around. They became words as common as a greeting. They were now simply words strung together to form a sentence and that was it. And so, Ichigo made a point that he would never say it or accept it unless they meant it.

Ichigo had been confessed to quite a few times in his life, but only three stuck to his mind as the years passed by.

"I like you. Mommy says so."

This was the first confession that he had ever heard and like many firsts, it was the most awkward one he had. He had been playing in a corner with a friend of his when this girl with her long brown pigtails came up to them. She was holding a small stuffed bear and a frown on her face as she impatiently waited for his answer. Fortunately – or maybe unfortunately, he didn't have to wait long as a classmate of theirs had announced the girl's crush on him with a loud obnoxious voice. Embarrassed beyond belief, the little girl fled while he just stared. His friend, the one he had been playing with, had smacked him upside the head for that.

After that first instance, there were a lot more girls who had confessed to him over the years. He could barely remember the faces much less the names of those who did. He could, however, recall one that had been imprinted to his mind.

"I like you. Please go out with me."

She was beautiful. This girl. With flowing dark brown hair and the face of an angel, she stood at the top of their high school's social ladder. If he recalled correctly, she had been given the nickname, "Princess" and rightly so as she was demure and kind. He never did ask what she saw in him, a delinquent. He had been acquainted to her through Tatsuki, a childhood friend of his. He knew her personally because she was a friend though they were not close, so to say the least, he certainly was not expecting this.

However, he knew that he had to reject her, because it would hurt her more to break up with her than to reject her now. And so, reject her he did. She was nice about it, however, and with tears in her eyes, she thanked him and walked off. The years that followed would be filled with awkward greetings and longing stares from her. Now that he was aware of her feelings, he never would be able to look at her the same. They eventually did become better friends afterwards when the looks ceased…or maybe she was just better at hiding her feelings, because he would still catch her at times.

Especially when he started dating another girl.

"I know you like me and I like you."

That was the last confession that was addressed to him. He remembers that it happened in the parking lot of a convenience store near his college. He had been buying a few things before he returned to his dorm when he was cornered to one side. She was a daredevil that one. Spiky dark hair and gold eyes, she could be mistaken for a tomboy with that attitude if not for the bright red ribbon holding up her long hair.

He had to admit though that he had been attracted to her. It was probably the only confession he ever accepted and reciprocated. However, they only dated for about a year before she broke it off with him. She couldn't stand how slow they were going and how "unfeeling" Ichigo was with his lack of words. Ichigo understood this as the farthest they had gone was a peck on the lips. It had been too awkward for Ichigo to go any further.

I like you. I love you. These were words that were merely strung together with no meaning for Ichigo. With his first and last girlfriend, he made it a point to never say any of these words to her. After all, Ichigo was never sure if his feelings, although spanned years after their break-up, ever went beyond puppy love.

By the time of their breakup, Ichigo had already graduated. He went on to study for a few more years before he started out as a medical intern. He hadn't received another confession afterwards. He suspected that his ex-girlfriend had something to do with it because she was as jealous and possessive with her exes as she is with her current boy toys.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard music playing in the background. He stood at attention, fixing his attire and bringing his attention to the open doors where everyone's eyes seemed fixed on. He looked at the entourage of people in formal dresses and tuxedos as they started walking through the doors. He held his breath, however, when a woman in white started walking down the aisle.

That was right. He was attending a wedding.

The girl in white, the bride, was stunning. She walked with small, graceful steps and a smile so beautiful and bright that it could put the sun and the moon to shame. It certainly felt that way when she trained her eyes at him. She raised an eyebrow at him as if questioning him. He grinned to answer her back and watched as she continued to walk towards him.

It was not just any wedding after all. It was HIS wedding.

"How did this happen?" you may ask, when he never had another girlfriend after his first and last. Well, remember that friend from the playground? That friend stayed with him throughout the years, gave him the advice he needed and taught him everything he needed to know about girls. That friend became his rock and supported him in everything he did. And well, one day, he decided he couldn't live without that friend.

It had been 2 years since he broke up with his ex-girlfriend and a day since he last saw her. Ichigo was frustrated. He didn't think that when they first started dating that his ex would be that persistent. Sure, she was impulsive and rash, but he didn't realize that she would have been possessive as well. Any hopes of him finding another girl in this lifetime was useless. That and there was that other issue as well. He sighed.

"What's with you? That's the fifth time you've sighed this past hour."

Ichigo looked up to find at his friend with two mugs at hand, one of which was settled in front of him. "It's nothing."

His friend sat down beside him on the low table. "It's never nothing with you. Out with it." When Ichigo remained silent, she crossed her arms and added matter-of-factly, "You know I won't budge until I get an answer."

"…fine. You-know-who has been bothering me again."

She winced. "Oooh, that can't be good. She scared off another potential love interest?" She began to pick up some pieces of paper on his desk and rearranged them into a neat pile.

Ichigo sighed, a hand running through his hair. "No, but she's scaring off potential female friends. And yes, I can have girls as friends. " She rolled her eyes at this, this time fixing the books on his desk. "Well, you are a girl and you are my friend. She was never able to scare you away. Anyway…" He paused to look at her, "…she wants us to get together again."

His friend stopped for a few seconds at this before resuming what she was doing. "Oh?"

Ichigo noticed this, but did not comment. He continued scribbling on his medical journal, but did not take his eyes off of her. "So, what did you tell her? I know you still like her. Don't think that I haven't noticed." She smirked at this, but the mischievousness of the action didn't quite reach her eyes.

He put down his pen. "That was a long time ago." When she looked pointedly at him, he asked, baffled, "What? You don't expect me to elaborate, do you? Guys don't do that."

She placed down the neatly arranged journal and glared at him. "But, I'm not a guy, so you will have to explain. You still liked her a few weeks ago."

"Well, I didn't have a talk with Tatsuki a few weeks ago and let's just say I'm ready to move on."

She looked surprised at this. "Really? Do I get the pleasure of knowing this girl…or guy's name? Anyone I know?" She finished with a sly grin and proceeded to turn her back at him to continue whatever she was doing.

"Yes, **_she's_** someone you know very well." Ichigo was too busy waiting for a reaction from her face, despite her back facing him.

"Really now?"

"Yes, she's known for having a bad temper and a mean left hook. She's bratty when she doesn't get what she wanted. She has very peculiar interests and always uses up my money. She can't cook and she has horrible tastes in books and music. And yet…" He paused here to wait for a reaction as her movements stilled. "I still think she is perfect for me in every way."

She was quiet for a while before looking into his face and saying, "Tell me. What's so great about her?"

"She's very intelligent and beautiful in her own right. She knows how to handle herself in any situation. She's a firecracker that one and knows exactly what to tell me when I ask for her advice. She's sweet when she wants to be and mature when the situation calls for it."

He gauges her reaction at this as she finds words to say. "So, why don't you just marry this girl?" She doesn't say this teasingly or sadly, but in the same quiet manner that she used with her brother.

"I plan on it." Here he stands up, the gesture startling his friend as he walks to his closet to retrieve a small box. Once he did, he opens the box to reveal a simple, but elegant white-gold ring. He passes the ring to his friend who's openly gaping at it.

"I-Ichigo, wha-?"

"This is the ring I plan to give to her." His heart was beating nervously at this point as she continues to look at the ring before closing the box. When she gives it back to him, his heart drops.

"It's lovely, Ichigo. I-I'm sure the girl would love it."

Gaping at her, Ichigo decides to add dense to that list as he grabs her hand and pulls her to an embrace. "I might have forgotten to tell you her name. It's…"

"…Kuchiki Rukia, take this man to be your loving husband?"

"I do."

"And do you, Kurosaki Ichigo, take this woman to be your loving wife?"

"I do."

"I now pronounce you husband and wife."

It was the first time Ichigo confessed to anyone. Suffice to say, Ichigo did not come out of that messed-up proposal unscathed as Ichigo came out of his room with a blooming shiner and the ring on Rukia's finger. She was his first fiancée and she would be the last girl that he would ever be with.

They had a deep, but messed up relationship Ichigo realized. For years, he had been confused about his feelings for her and it took him a while and Tatsuki's words to realize what has been in front of him this whole time. He felt it was right to just skip the dating part, because all they needed was to be married.

He realized that their relationship has been an odd one, but as he swooped down to kiss his wife, he finds that he really doesn't mind.

When they stepped out of the church, they didn't say I love you. When they gazed into each other's eyes, they didn't say I love you and when they were in the heat of their honeymoon, they didn't say it either. Ichigo found that they didn't quite need to. They were never one who cared about words as they constantly threw insults throughout the reception and smeared each other's faces with their wedding cake. They didn't display affections and were constantly at each other's throats.

And you know what? That suited him just fine.

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Author's Note: Holy cow…I did not know that I had already finished this story until I read through it today. I finished this story…August 8, 2014! I guess that's what I get for not checking my laptop more often. I'm alive though if anyone was still curious. Anyway, this story came from the "eye smex" -as some people have called it- between Ichigo and Rukia and I would love the idea that they don't need fancy words to show their love for each other. Hope you like it and sorry for any mistakes along the way! - Z-san


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